In a previous study [29 (
link)], we developed an animal model of necrotizing funisitis and chorioamnionitis (severe in utero inflammations of the umbilical cord and fetal membrane, respectively) using the intravenous administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and the intraamniotic administration of endotoxin in sheep fetuses. In this experiment, intrauterine inflammation was induced according to the following protocol, the same as previously reported.
At 93-97 DG, 48 hours after surgery, ewes with single fetuses were randomly assigned into 2 treatment groups as follows: (1) the endotoxin group (n = 11), in which fetuses received an intraamniotic injection of 5 mg of endotoxin (
Escherichia coli 055:B5 endotoxin; Sigma-Aldrich Co., St Louis, MO, USA) solubilized in 2 mL of saline once after 4 days of surgery. In addition, the fetuses were infused with 40 μg of G-CSF (Neutrogin; Chugai Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) solubilized in 2 mL of saline that was administered into the left jugular vein daily for 2 to 6 days after surgery, to increase the number of leukocytes in the fetoplacental circulation [26 , 27 (
link), 29 (
link)]. (2) The control group (n = 9), in which fetuses received only saline injections into both the jugular vein and the amniotic fluid.
Sato S., Watanabe S., Saito Y., Takanashi A., Ikeda H., Sakurai Y., Koshinami S., Kumagai Y., Usuda H., Hanita T., Kikuchi A, & Saito M. (2023). High Expression of Adrenal Cortisol Synthases Is Acquired After Intrauterine Inflammation in Periviable Sheep Fetuses. Journal of the Endocrine Society, 7(9), bvad100.
